JD(U) issues show cause notice to Bihar Ministers

New Delhi, Aug 11: Taking a strong note of their controversial remarks on the killing of soldiers along LoC, JD(U) on Sunday issued showcause notice to its two Bihar ministers asking why disciplinary action should not be taken against them.

In separate notices to Rural Development Minister Bhim Singh and Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh, party president Sharad Yadav said that their statements were "against the policy, ethics and norms of JD(U)" and asked them to explain within seven days "why disciplinary action should not be taken against you on the above misconduct".

Yadav also told the ministers that their remarks had not only "caused embarrassment" to the party but also damaged its reputation. In the letter to Bhim Singh, Yadav said, "your statement regarding army personnel who were killed on the LoC, was uncalled for you being a member of JD(U) and also being a member of the state cabinet."

"Your above act is against disciplinary norms of the party," he said. In his letter to Narendra Singh, Yadav said that his statement that Pakistan government had no hand in the killings was against the party policy, norms and ethics. He also reminded the minister that "in this regard I had personally requested you to issue the rebuttal and contradiction to your statement, but it was apparently not done."

The JDU president has asked both the minister "as to why disciplinary action should not be taken against you on the above misconduct." On Thursday, Bhim Singh had said that policemen and soldiers are recruited to make sacrifices for the nation, for which he later apologised.

"I don't believe that Pakistan is responsible for the incident (killing of five Indian soldiers by Pakistani army on the LoC in Poonch district) on Tuesday," Agriculture minister Narendra Singh said yesterday, in remarks which came as further embarrassment for the Nitish Kumar led JD(U) government.

PTI